Hi guys,
Here we are again, as announced. After a well-deserved short vacation in Barcelona, we took some time off and met the fashion business community there. It was a wonderful occasion to discover their vision of fashion and also find the common fashion denominator. It came down to one fact to which I think all fashioners will agree upon: fashion is about translating a unique vision into a business and for that, image is your key success factor. Image through your design and collection, image through the quality of your website, your pictures and video (as obvious as it seems, it’s always good to remind it) and the image you project while applying your business strategy.
Elegance is elimination
So in the end, it comes back to the Balenciaga fashion rule: “Elegance is elimination”. In order to stand out, a fashion brand needs to find its own voice and eliminate all that visually and strategically doesn’t fit with its vision. We are aware that in the loneliness of their creative moments, sometimes fashion designers twist fabric around their mannequin in search of a revelation…and stop there, maybe in the hope that nobody will notice and still find some beauty in the unfinished thinking process…
What is your core message to the world?
Since you are already designing, take the necessary time to investigate what is your true essence. What is it that you care enough about on this planet that your fashion business would be proud to share to the world?
Once you found what it is, make sure that each detail you add contributes to that purpose. Remember the judges’ faces on Project Runway when they complained there’s too much happening on the same look? That’s what we don’t want!
Honor your vision
Honoring your vision means not only by following it but also by providing your brand with the quality website, pictures and videos they deserve…So unless amateur is a part of the spirit of your concept, remember that you are in a very competitive and overcrowded market. Today, any fashion designers need to be able to deliver professional HD material and the lack of budget is not an excuse.
Moreover, when you decide to work with someone who will be deeply involved in your design and strategy, take the time necessary to assess if they understand your creative vision. If they don’t, it doesn’t matter if their services are cheap. They won’t make the cut so move on.
Consistency in taste
Taste is not only being able to match a color with another one or being able to understand the beauty in a designer piece, however conceptual it is. It goes beyond that. It’s a philosophy of life. It’s also about the way you decorate your shop, your e-shop, address your customers and counterparts etc. You can’t say your brand is all about luxury lifestyle and have a cluttered website or make spelling mistakes in your communication. So make sure you remain consistently tasteful.
So for this week, let’s all embrace the wisdom of Balenciaga’s quote and address our fashion accordingly.
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Wondering how to find your core message to the world?
Find more tools to help you through your fashion business plan, with the number one FXF guide. “The Fashion Business Plan” by Bako Rambini is available on Amazon.
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